[twitter]Troll Falls – Kananaskis Country [map] Trail Length: 3.2 km return / approx 60 minutes
Elevation Gain: 40m
Age Appropriate: this hike is stroller friendly making it great for all ages

Easily the most popular trail for young hikers in K Country is Troll Falls. It’s short, rolling pathway and spectacular waterfall at the end is the perfect blend of short distance and big reward. Toss in a bridge complete with a geocache hidden by a troll halfway through and you’ve got a great way to spend a couple of hours with the kids outside.

We’ve done Troll Falls in the summer, and we’ve seen the frozen Troll Falls in winter as part of our routine of hiking, but as Zacharie is getting more up to speed on two wheels, I thought it would make a great first trail ride for this budding mountain biker.

It’s hard to believe that in mid-July he was still on training wheels, but after one week session with Pedalheads he ditched them and is now on a big boy bike with gears, suspension, and is confident to tackle a trail ride.

You don’t need to have a ‘real mountain bike’ to tackle the Troll Falls trail, we saw many young kids on Striders flying up and down the path, but the terrain would definitely not be training wheel friendly, so if you’re going to ride a bike to Troll Falls, keep it to two wheels.

If you have a lock, bring it. The last 200m of the trail is a tight twist of roots and rocks, but there is a sign post where you can lock up before returning back.

The trail mostly gains elevation to the falls, and then is a drop back. We decided to do the Troll Falls trail on the way up, and then took the meandering Hay Meadow trail along the Kananaskis River on the way back.

If you’ve got a kid who is ready to get out and ride in the mountains and you want them to learn how to dodge ruts, mud, sticks, and stones, this is the perfect starter route. Just as Troll Falls is the best hike for kids, it’s also the best mountain bike trail for kids in K Country.